Pesticides and CCD

Pesticides and CCD

Matt Rice
Matt Rice
Pesticide products should not be allowed to drift or be applied anywhere outside their intended target. How many stories have we done over the years concerning colony collapse disorder or CCD which is almost bringing our honeybee and pollen bearing bee populations to extinction. Pesticides have been targeted as one of the main contributors to CCD. Consumers should know that pesticide products may be easy to find on the store shelf, but that doesn't mean they should be treated lightly. 

Many state departments of agriculture license commercial pesticide applicators for agricultural producers and require them to demonstrate pesticide use knowledge. That's not the case for homeowners:

ODA pesticide investigator Jenny Marin: "It doesn't have to be a concern, as long as homeowners are reading the label and following its directions. The fact is homeowners have access to many of the same pesticides as licensed applicators or farmers but they may not have the same level of education on using those products. That's why it's even more important for homeowners to read the label, follow the instructions, and seek help if there's anything they don't understand."  

 MARIN says there are some important precautions for homeowners using pesticides, precautions that address protecting pollinators:

 "Homeowners should not be making pesticide applications to flowers in bloom because bees and other pollinators may be visiting those plants. They should also take steps to avoid pesticide drift within their own yard when flowers and flowering plants are in bloom, even when those plants aren't the target for the application." 

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